Noel Fielding is an English surrealist, comedian, actor, artist, DJ and musician.
Fielding is best known for playing Vince Noir in The Mighty Boosh, which he co-wrote with
co-star and comedy partner, Julian Barratt.
In 2009, he became a team captain on BBC Two music/comedy panel show Never Mind the Buzzcocks.
He also writes and appears as the central character in Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy.
Fielding portrayed Richmond Avenal in The IT Crowd.
He is the founder of the band Loose Tapestries, formed with Kasabian's Sergio Pizzorno.
Career Stand-up comedy
Born in Westminster, London, Fielding performed regularly as a stand-up comedian during the
late 1990s, and appeared repeatedly on the television stand-up showcase Lee Mack's Gas.
His highly animated stand-up routine included surreal stories, physical comedy, characters,
and songs, much like his later work in The Mighty Boosh.
In 2010, Fielding was to perform a solo tour across the country.
It was cancelled, however, so he could concentrate on writing The Mighty Boosh film and album
with Barratt.
Fielding announced via Twitter that he was too busy to do the tour.
In 2010, Fielding took part in Channel 4's Comedy Gala, a benefit show held in aid of
Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital and filmed live at the O2 Arena in London on 30
March.
The Mighty Boosh
Fielding is best known for playing the role of Vince Noir, a childlike eccentric, opposite
Julian Barratt in the cult comedy series The Mighty Boosh.
Fielding met Barratt when he was performing a gig.
Impressed by Fielding's skill, Barratt offered him a place to perform, and the two went on
to form a partnership.
Barratt and Fielding are said to have compared their relationship to a marriage; the character
of Vince Noir is a kind, somewhat naive and loyal friend to the self-centered, neurotic
and ambitious Howard Moon.
Vince can talk to animals, earning him the nickname "Mowgli in Flares".
Vince is vibrant and flamboyant, contrasting with his friend Howard, who is more like a
"geography teacher from Leeds".
As well as Noir, Fielding plays various supporting characters in the Mighty Boosh, including:
Tony Harrison, a small pink head with tentacles and member of the shaman council; The Hitcher,
a cockney hitch-hiker with a polo mint for an eye; The Moon; Spider Dijon, a bongoist
in Rudi's band; and Old Gregg, a hermaphroditic merman obsessed with Baileys Irish Cream and
watercolors.
The Mighty Boosh has won the Shockwaves NME Best TV Award 3 times
Television Outside his work on The Mighty Boosh, Fielding
has also had bit parts in many of Channel 4's somewhat off-beat comedy programmes, including
Nathan Barley, The IT Crowd, AD/BC: A Rock Opera and Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, more
often than not appearing alongside Julian Barratt.
He also appeared in 1998 sketch show Unnatural Acts.
In February 2007, Fielding appeared on Never Mind the Buzzcocks as a panellist, before
going on to become a permanent team captain.
Fielding also made a short appearance in the film Plunkett & Macleane as a bystander to
Robert Carlyle's scuffle in a brothel.
Fielding appeared on The Charlotte Church Show as a special guest.
At Bill Bailey's request, Fielding stood in as a team captain for three episodes during
Season 21 of Never Mind the Buzzcocks.
He also achieved a record for the highest team score ever on the show.
When Bailey returned, presenter Simon Amstell made various jokes about Fielding's departure.
In 2009, Bailey left the show and Fielding became one of the regular team captains.
According to Neil Gaiman's blog, Fielding was scheduled to appear in the film Stardust,
but had to drop out due to ill health.
He also participated twice with Russell Brand in 2006 and 2007 on the annual quiz show The
Big Fat Quiz of the Year.
He participated again in 2010 with Richard Ayoade, Alan Carr, Jonathan Ross, Michael
McIntyre, and Ruth Jones..
In 2008, Fielding appeared with comic partner Julian Barratt on Transmission.
As usual, he wore a somewhat flamboyant attire, this time featuring Cuban heels and polka
dot trousers.
In 2009, he helped host Comic Relief Does Top of the Pops with Reggie Yates and Fearne
Cotton.
Fielding played the role of "Marcus" in the series 3 of How Not to Live Your Life, which
was broadcast in November 2010.
Fielding produced his first solo series for the Channel 4 network's E4 channel in 2011,
as the broadcaster invests an additional £5 million in its comedy budget following the
cancellation of reality show Big Brother.
Fielding said of the project, tentatively titled Noel Fielding: Boopus: "I want to make
something in the spirit of Spike Milligan or the Kenny Everett Show but using modern
techniques.
Blending filmed comedy with animation.
Television needs a madman!
I want the show to be psychedelic and beautiful but have charm and personality.
If Dalí made a show hopefully it would look like this."
The show has since been renamed Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy and began broadcasting on Channel
4's E4 channel on 26 January 2012.
It contains many aspects of animation composed with live action.
A video shown to a select audience of C4 staff, producers, writers, performers and journalists
showed the Boosh star as a stingray, discussing the recording of albums.
Similar to the Mighty Boosh, in Luxury Comedy Fielding plays a wide array of characters
including an optimistic lion, a chocolate finger, a deranged clown, a New York cop,
a music producer stingray, and a futuristic Don Quixote called Fantasy Man.
Fielding performed a dance to "Wuthering Heights" by Kate Bush for Let's Dance for Comic Relief
reaching the finale.
He has also appeared in a Kate Bush video for the remix version of "Deeper Understanding".
Radio Fielding starred in the 2001 Mighty Boosh
radio series as Vince Noir and other characters.
It was broadcast on BBC London Live.
He also appeared on The Russell Brand Show on BBC Radio 2 on 26 May 2007 and 13 October
2007, and Team Disgusting's show on Life fm as a co-host for one episode, along with fellow
Team Disgusting members Melvis and Birdy.
In November 2007 Fielding starred in five episodes of BBC Radio 2 show Vic Reeves' House
Arrest as a local vagrant who knocks on Reeves' door once a week to ask for work.
His character is often given seemingly pointless tasks, such as building a galleon out of sausages,
and is paid in small change.
Music Fielding has appeared in several music videos,
including Mint Royale's "Blue Song", alongside Julian Barratt, Nick Frost and Michael Smiley.
He also made a brief appearance in the video for Razorlight's "In the Morning".
He appeared in music videos for the Robots in Disguise songs "Girl", "The Tears", and
"Turn It Up".
In 2009, Noel was involved in the Kasabian video "Vlad the Impaler", in which he plays
the titular character, and he's referenced in "La Fée Verte".
Fielding also makes a brief appearance as Vlad in the video for another Kasabian song,
"Re-Wired", riding a five-seater bicycle with the band.
He has also appeared in Kate Bush's music video "Deeper Understanding" as a means of
thanks for the Let's Dance for Comic Relief performance.
Fielding is friends with the members of Razorlight, and involved them in the "Priest and the Beast"
episode of The Mighty Boosh.
Fielding lent his voice to the Midfield General song "Midfielding".
Fielding also sometimes plays bass live for Robots in Disguise.
Furthermore, he has been known to DJ, often playing at The Barfly in London with the rest
of The Mighty Boosh or with his DJ collective known as Team Disgusting, made up of six women
and the Rev. Lately, he has been DJing with Dave Brown, who plays Bollo in The Mighty
Boosh, under the DJing phenomenon, the Doctor and the Pencil, who first appeared in the
Boosh episode "The Chokes".
Fielding is half of Loose Tapestries, a comedy music partnership with Kasabian's Sergio Pizzorno,
set up to create music for Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy.
Art He held his first exhibition, entitled Psychedelic
Dreams of the Jelly Fox at Maison Bertaux, a patisserie in Greek Street, Soho in early
2008.
He claimed that he was inspired by Henri Rousseau, René Magritte, Willem de Kooning, Roy Lichtenstein,
and Dexter Dalwood.
He has also revealed that he feels inspired by Salvador Dalí.
A second exhibition entitled "Bryan Ferry vs the Jelly Fox" took place at Maison Bertaux,
from 5 July 2010 through to 5 January 2011.
On 6 September 2011, Fielding received Honorary Masters Degrees from Buckinghamshire New University
for his ongoing interest in the graphics area and support for many art organisations.
In October 2011, Fielding released an art book called 'Scribblings of a Madcap Shambleton',
which he produced alongside with The Mighty Boosh cast member, Dave Brown.
It features many of his old and new paintings, drawings and photography.
Fielding's video installation of 'The Jelly Fox' was shown at the Saatchi Gallery, and
in 2012 he created a unique piece inspired by The Beatles for Liverpool Love at the Museum
of Liverpool.
Personal life His brother is Michael Fielding, who appears
as Naboo the Enigma in The Mighty Boosh and also portrays various characters in Noel Fielding's
Luxury Comedy.
Fielding resides in Highgate, North London with his partner, Xfm DJ Lliana Bird.
His parents are Dianne and Ray Fielding, both of whom have appeared in Mighty Boosh episodes.
He also revealed on Russell Brand's radio show that his grandmother is French.
According to an article in The Sunday Times he has said that his "parents had lots of
parties" during his childhood.
He has also stated that his parents "were just 18" when they had him.
Fielding is close friends with Julian Barratt, Richard Ayoade and Rich Fulcher, who he was
worked with on numerous occasions, and he is also friends with Courtney Love, Russell
Brand and Johnny Borrell, as well as the members of Kasabian.
Kasabian's Sergio Pizzorno is part of Fielding's Loose Tapestries project, set up to make music
for his series Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy.
Fielding played the role of Vlad the Impaler in the video of the Kasabian song of the same
name, and reprised his role at the 2014 Glastonbury Festival.
The music video was directed by Richard Ayoade.
Fielding is a fan of the bands Kiss, Pink Floyd, Nirvana, Tame Impala, Everything Everything
and Bo Ningen.
He is also a fan of David Bowie, Jim Morrison and Mick Jagger.
Fielding was educated at Croydon Art College in South London then studied for a BA in Graphic
Design and Advertising at Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College in High Wycombe,
where he lived with friends and future collaborators Dave Brown and Nigel Coan.
At some point, Fielding has also shared a flat with comedian Lee Mack, as revealed by
Mack on Never Mind the Buzzcocks.
Fielding has stated that he has no middle name, was never baptised, and does not follow
a religion.
In 2009, a Sunday Times article revealed that Fielding had hepatitis during his art college
years.
This forced him not to drink for six months which got him into the habit of not drinking
for a couple of years.
"I used to be able to enjoy myself with just nothing.
I'd stay up till four in the morning, with everyone else being drunk.
Just make a bit of effort and you can get used to it.
" Since around 2010, Fielding has been in a
relationship with XFM DJ Lliana Bird.
He previously dated Dee Plume, half of female electropunk band Robots in Disguise for around
ten years before splitting in 2009/2010 and the duo appeared alongside Fielding and Barratt
in The Mighty Boosh.
Filmography Acting roles
Set the Thames on Fire - Dickie Luxury Comedy 2 - Himself/Various
Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy - Himself/Various Horrid Henry: The Movie - Ed Banger
How Not to Live Your Life - Marcus Come On Eileen Film - Rex
Bunny and The Bull - Javier The Mighty Boosh Live Future Sailors Tour
- Vince Noir I Spit on Your Rave - Zombie King
The Mighty Boosh Live – Vince Noir The IT Crowd – Richmond
Nathan Barley – Jones AD/BC: A Rock Opera – Shepherd
Garth Marenghi's Darkplace – Monkey Man The Mighty Boosh – Vince Noir
Surrealissimo: The Trial of Salvador Dalí – Bauer
Autoboosh Live – Vince Noir Sweet – Pete Sweet
Arctic Boosh Live – Vince Noir Plunkett & Macleane – Brothel Gent
The Mighty Boosh Live – Vince Noir Unnatural Acts – Various
Television appearances Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy
The Big Fat Quiz of the Year British Comedy Awards
Staying In with Greg And Russell Gadget Man
QI Give It Up for Comic Relief
Brand X with Russell Brand Turner Prize
As a guest The Big Fat Quiz of the '00s
"Damien Hirst:The First Look" Lorraine Kelly's Show
The Secret Policeman's Ball With Russell Brand
The Jonathan Ross Show Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy
The Rob Brydon Show - Christmas Special Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow
Let's Dance For Comic Relief The One Show
British Comedy Awards The Big Fat Quiz of the Year
Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow Modern Masters, Dalí
Channel 4's Comedy Gala The Hour
With Paul Foot Alan Carr: Chatty Man
ShockHound Interview The Mighty Boosh With Julian Barratt
Chelsea Lately Shooting Stars
Comic Relief Does Top of the Pops XFM Interview
Harry Hill's TV Burp The Culture Show
Comic Relief's The Big One The Big Fat Quiz of the Year
Dawn French's Boys Who Do Comedy The Charlotte Church Show
Episode 2x02
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
21x02-21x04 Team Captain Episode 20x02
Permanent team captain, 2009–present
The Big Fat Quiz of the Year British Comedy Awards 2006
The Culture Show 1 Leicester Square
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
Episode 11x10
The Secret Policeman's Ball Soccer AM
BBC Breakfast
interview
TRL Alan Partridge Presents: The Cream of British
Comedy BBC Breakfast
Episode dated 26 July 2005
28 Acts in 28 Minutes British Comedy Awards 2004
Garth Marenghi's Darkplace Melbourne International Comedy Festival Gala
Liquid News Brain Candy
The Big Schmooze
Episode 1x04
The Comedy Café
Episode 1x07
Alexei Sayle's Merry-Go-Round Gas
Music videos Kasabian – "Vlad the Impaler"
Mint Royale - "Blue Song" Awards
2010 The Mighty Boosh won Best DVD at the Shockwaves NME Awards 2010.
2009 The Mighty Boosh won Best TV Show at the Shockwaves NME Awards 2009.
2008 2nd Best Dressed Man of the Year GQ Awards.
2008 Situation Comedy and Comedy Drama Royal Television Awards 2008.
2008 Best Dressed Shockwaves NME Awards 2008.
2008 Sexiest Man Shockwaves NME Awards 2008.
2008 The Mighty Boosh won Best TV Show at the Shockwaves NME Awards 2008.
2007 The Mighty Boosh won Best TV Show at the Shockwaves NME Awards 2007.
2003 Time Out comedy award winner for outstanding achievement.
2002 Solo Edinburgh show Voodoo Hedgehog nominated for a Perrier
2001 The Boosh, first on London Live, then on Radio 4.
2000 Arctic Boosh won the Barry Award at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival
1999 Perrier nominee with Julian Barratt as Arctic Boosh
1998 Herald Angel Award winner.
1998 Perrier Best Newcomer winner with Julian Barratt as the double act The Mighty Boosh
References
External links
Noel Fielding at the Internet Movie Database PBJ Artist Page
Noel Fielding: a brush with comic genius